These are the most turbulent flight routes in the world

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For many people, turbulence is the worst thing that can happen on a plane. This is a phenomenon that occurs with surprising regularity, but is often alarming and can scare even the most experienced traveler.

However, it is often misunderstood. It poses little threat to modern commercial aircraft, and most injuries occur when a person is not strapped into a seat.

The National Weather Service defines turbulence as a phenomenon “caused by sudden, erratic movements of air that cause sudden and rapid updrafts and downdrafts,” and “occurs in combination, causing aircraft to move in unexpected directions.” ”.

The most common type is called clear-air turbulence (CAT), which is defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as “sudden, severe turbulence that occurs in cloud-free areas and causes severe aircraft collisions.” It adds that this is “particularly troublesome because it is often encountered unexpectedly and often without visual cues.”

So, how likely are you to be affected by turbulence? And which flight routes are most affected by turbulence? Answers to important questions.

read more: What is turbulence? Can turbulence cause a plane to crash?

How likely are you to be affected by severe turbulence?

Most aviators have encountered mild turbulence at some point, but severe turbulence is much rarer. The number of flights affected by severe turbulence is estimated to be 1 in 50,000 departing flights.

The situation caused by global warming means there may be a bit more turbulence in the future. According to data obtained by the Federal Aviation Administration over the past 16 years, the annual average number of severe turbulence-related injuries in the United States is 33.

Where are the best (and worst) places for turbulence?

For the smoothest flying experience, it’s ideal to book a seat close to the center wingspan of the plane. Being closer to the plane’s center of gravity means it is less likely to be affected by forces such as wind, drag, and lift.

Additionally, seats in the front of an airplane are more susceptible to the effects of wind hitting the back of the aircraft, so the effects of turbulence are less noticeable than seats in the back.

What are the most turbulent flight routes around the world?

Data from turbulence prediction website Turbli, which analyzed around 150,000 routes, shows the most turbulent trips in 2023. Routes are ranked based on their “eddy dissipation rate.” Turbli founder Ignacio Gallego Marcos describes this as “eddy dissipation rate” as “a measure of the strength of turbulence at a moment in time.” given spot.”

The 1,180-mile journey between Santiago and Bolivia’s Bilbil International Airport was ranked as the roughest route, while the route between Almaty, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek came in second.

Six of the most eventful trips were on domestic flights between Japan and China (four to/from Lanzhou, Chengdu, and Xianyang), and two were on European routes. Milan to Geneva is the busiest route in Europe (and will be the 5th busiest in the world in 2023), while Milan to Zurich ranks 10th.

Gallego-Marcos said that routes that cross the Andes and Alps “appear at the top of the rankings because of the turbulence of the mountain waves that cross the Andes and Alps,” while routes in Japan and China “do It is in disrepair because of the high level of activity.” The Japan Meteorological Agency defines the jet stream as “a center of strong winds blowing from west to east about 5 to 7 miles above the Earth’s surface.”

This goes some way to explaining why some airports are repeatedly listed and certain destinations feature heavily on continent-specific lists. For example, five of Europe’s 10 busiest routes include routes that take off or land in Zurich. Meanwhile, the 10 busiest routes in South America include routes that include Chile’s capital Santiago five times.

Here’s the full list of the world’s top 10 most eventful journeys, according to Turbli data.

1. Santiago (SCL) – Santa Cruz (VVI)

2. Almaty (ALA) – Bishkek (FRU)

3. Lanzhou (LHW) – Chengdu (CTU)

4. Centrair (NGO) – Sendai (SDJ)

5. Milan (MXP) – Geneva (GVA)

6. Lanzhou (LHW) – Xianyang (XIY)

7. Osaka (KIX) – Sendai (SDJ)

8. Xianyang (XIY) – Chengdu (CTU)

9. Xianyang (XIY) – Chongqing (CKG)

10. Milan (MXP) – Zurich (ZRH)